President Barack Obama on Aug. 7 extended the Commerce Department’s authority to control U.S. exports under the Export Administration Regulations through Aug. 17, 2015. The move extends a national emergency associated with the expiration of the Export Administration Act, which initially lapsed in 1994 and has since been renewed annually through executive action. Former President George W. Bush issued Executive Order 13222 to declare the national emergency, and the Aug. 7 executive action affirms that the emergency still exists.
The FCC could be headed for a 3-2 vote Friday on an order that would impose a text-to-911 mandate on AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile and Verizon, plus interconnected over-the-top (OTT) text providers and smaller carriers. The FCC is also slated to vote an accompanying further NPRM. While eighth-floor discussions are ongoing, the two Republican commissioners, Mike O'Rielly and Ajit Pai, have concerns about the order, agency and industry officials said.
The FCC could be headed for a 3-2 vote Friday on an order that would impose a text-to-911 mandate on AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile and Verizon, plus interconnected over-the-top (OTT) text providers and smaller carriers. The FCC is also slated to vote an accompanying further NPRM. While eighth-floor discussions are ongoing, the two Republican commissioners, Mike O'Rielly and Ajit Pai, have concerns about the order, agency and industry officials said.
The Justice Department consent decree review should result in an improved negotiating posture for songwriters, music publishers and performing rights organizations (PROs), said Broadcast Music Inc. (BMI), songwriters and music attorneys Tuesday. The Future of Music Coalition (FMC) doubted whether the abolition of consent decrees would help independent songwriters and publishers, in comments (http://bit.ly/1s8RKxq) posted Tuesday. DOJ’s Antitrust Division is reviewing the existing consent decrees for PROs American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP) and BMI (WID June 5 p1). Comments on the review are due Wednesday and are expected to highlight a divide between the music industry and broadcasters (WID Aug 4 p1).
The Justice Department consent decree review should result in an improved negotiating posture for songwriters, music publishers and performing rights organizations (PROs), said Broadcast Music Inc. (BMI), songwriters and music attorneys Tuesday. The Future of Music Coalition (FMC) doubted whether the abolition of consent decrees would help independent songwriters and publishers, in comments (http://bit.ly/1s8RKxq) posted Tuesday. DOJ’s Antitrust Division is reviewing the existing consent decrees for PROs American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP) and BMI (CD June 5 p9). Comments on the review are due Wednesday and are expected to highlight a divide between the music industry and broadcasters (CD Aug 4 p12).
The Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration is amending its regulations on transportation of lithium cells and batteries in order to conform them to international codes. PHMSA’s final rule brings U.S. requirements in line with standards set by the United Nations, International Civil Aviation Organization, and International Maritime Dangerous Goods Code, said the agency. Voluntary compliance with the new regulations may begin immediately upon publication Aug. 6. Compliance will be required by Feb. 6, 2015.
Alabama’s state 911 service fee rose Friday from $1.60 to $1.75 per month for all wireless and wireline customers. Opponents have decried that, because the Alabama 911 Board requires the estimated 200,000 consumers in the state who use the FCC low-income Lifeline program to pay those fees. Lifeline provider TracFone and a coalition of seven groups have been trying to get the Lifeline subscriber rule removed from the 911 fee base, saying Alabama is the only state to require Lifeline subscribers to pay a 911 fee. The Alabama 911 Board adopted the rule last year, effective Dec. 31, requiring eligible telecom carriers (ETCs) to collect the fee from Lifeline subscribers, saying requiring those subscribers to pay the fee made it “more equitable” and better aligned it with state law (http://bit.ly/1qNUuAS).
FairPoint Communications has finished installing its IP-based next-generation 911 system in Maine, making it “one of the first states in the nation” to deploy an NG-911 system that meets the National Emergency Number Association’s i3 standards, said the telco in a news release Thursday. FairPoint’s system will serve all of Maine’s 26 public safety answering points and covers 1.3 million people in the state. The system will improve call setup time and increase voice and data arrival times at PSAPs, and could improve emergency response by providing better information to public safety personnel before they arrive at the scene, FairPoint said (http://bit.ly/1uLQt1u).
The House Commerce Committee approved three communications bills by voice vote Wednesday during a markup session: the Anti-Spoofing Act of 2013 (HR-3670), the E-LABEL (Enhance Labeling, Accessing, and Branding of Electronic Licenses) Act (HR-5161) and the Kelsey Smith Act (HR-1575). Rep. Joe Barton, R-Texas, introduced an amendment in the nature of a substitute (http://1.usa.gov/1ldL6OU) to the Anti-Spoofing Act, as he has previously said he would, to address some stakeholder concerns about the language, and it was approved. Communications Subcommittee Chairman Greg Walden, R-Ore., successfully tweaked (http://1.usa.gov/1obNjdG) the Kelsey Smith Act to address some possible privacy concerns. Committee ranking member Henry Waxman, D-Calif., backed the changes but reiterated the concerns he aired during opening statements, saying the committee process could have been better. Sprint applauded the lawmakers for advancing the Kelsey Smith Act. “We support Congressional efforts to establish a national framework that will enable law enforcement and wireless carriers to better assist families to obtain access to GPS information promptly in times of crisis,” Sprint Vice President-Government Affairs Bill Barloon said in a statement. The American Civil Liberties Union “believes that the Kelsey Smith bill needs to be strengthened ... so that it has a strong definition of emergency and people have a remedy when their location information is revealed illegally,” ACLU Legislative Counsel Chris Calabrese said. “We have not yet taken a final position on the bill.” The ACLU sent Commerce leaders a letter Tuesday outlining “continuing concern” with the amended bill. “The more significant problem is that the legislation as drafted does not create any penalty if the court finds a violation of the law,” ACLU said in the letter. “There is no penalty for police misconduct, nor is there any remedy allowing a criminal or civil defendant to suppress evidence gathered from this illegal data collection. The result is that a defendant could be harmed by clearly illegal conduct, but have no remedy -- a gross injustice and at odds with criminal procedural remedies in other contexts."
The House Commerce Committee approved three communications bills by voice vote Wednesday during a markup session: the Anti-Spoofing Act of 2013 (HR-3670), the E-LABEL (Enhance Labeling, Accessing, and Branding of Electronic Licenses) Act (HR-5161) and the Kelsey Smith Act (HR-1575). Rep. Joe Barton, R-Texas, introduced an amendment in the nature of a substitute (http://1.usa.gov/1ldL6OU) to the Anti-Spoofing Act, as he has previously said he would, to address some stakeholder concerns about the language, and it was approved. Communications Subcommittee Chairman Greg Walden, R-Ore., successfully tweaked (http://1.usa.gov/1obNjdG) the Kelsey Smith Act to address some possible privacy concerns. Committee ranking member Henry Waxman, D-Calif., backed the changes but reiterated the concerns he aired during opening statements, saying the committee process could have been better. Sprint applauded the lawmakers for advancing the Kelsey Smith Act. “We support Congressional efforts to establish a national framework that will enable law enforcement and wireless carriers to better assist families to obtain access to GPS information promptly in times of crisis,” Sprint Vice President-Government Affairs Bill Barloon said in a statement. The American Civil Liberties Union “believes that the Kelsey Smith bill needs to be strengthened ... so that it has a strong definition of emergency and people have a remedy when their location information is revealed illegally,” ACLU Legislative Counsel Chris Calabrese said. “We have not yet taken a final position on the bill.” The ACLU sent Commerce leaders a letter Tuesday outlining “continuing concern” with the amended bill. “The more significant problem is that the legislation as drafted does not create any penalty if the court finds a violation of the law,” ACLU said in the letter. “There is no penalty for police misconduct, nor is there any remedy allowing a criminal or civil defendant to suppress evidence gathered from this illegal data collection. The result is that a defendant could be harmed by clearly illegal conduct, but have no remedy -- a gross injustice and at odds with criminal procedural remedies in other contexts."